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Favorite Recipe: Cioppino

I will preface by saying that this is something I probably would have never cooked if it weren't for Publix and their desire to drive me nuts by putting three fish filets in their frozen bags of halibut. Who needs three pieces of fish? Two, I understand. Four, I understand. But, three? The point is...what to do with that third piece of fish? Make cioppino!

Now, you may be wondering what cioppino is...think seafood stew. If you read the history on this stuff, it is a traditional Italian stew that was prepared with tomato, wine, and whatever was left from the catch of the day. All I have to say is, leftover anything never tasted as good as this. You really can use whatever seafood you prefer or have on hand. For economical reasons, most of my ingredients were frozen...which tasted just as good as fresh. Once again, quick and easy. This recipe yields 4 servings. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 tablespoon capers
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1 large onion, diced
1 cup white wine
14 ounces chicken stock
1 can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 halibut filet, cut into large chunks
12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 package frozen mussels**
2 cans claw crab meat**
salt
pepper
4 servings linguine pasta, cooked
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

(**Publix sells a brand of mussels in the frozen food section called Bantry Bay Mussels in Tomato & Garlic Sauce. This was what I used. Just drop it into the stew frozen and follow the cooking directions below. As for the crab meat, you can find this in the same section as canned tuna fish. The brand that I buy comes in a beige can with blue writing and is claw crab meat not lump crab meat, although you could substitute without changing the taste.)

Directions:
1) In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil, cayenne, Old Bay, anchovy paste, capers, garlic, and bay leaf over medium heat until mixture begins to simmer. Continue simmering for 3 minutes.
2) Add onion to mixture and continue cooking until onion begins to soften. Add white wine and simmer for 3 minutes.
3) Add chicken stock, tomatoes, thyme, and parsley. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low.
4) Season fish with salt and pepper. Drop fish chunks into pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Do not stir pot after adding fish since it will flake. If you need to stir, shake pot instead of using a spoon (unless you can be very gentle).
5) Add mussels, cover pot, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add shrimp and crab meat to pot and cook until shrimp are opaque.
6) Remove pot from heat. Equally divide linguine among 4 pasta bowls. Ladle cioppino on top of linguine (remember, this should be like a stew, so be sure to get plenty of broth). Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Happy Birthday, Grammy!

Make a Smilebox greeting

Favorite Recipe: Huevos Rancheros

This is one of those entrees that I have never had the guts to order in a restaurant, but every time Goldilex orders it, my mouth waters. When I thought about all of the components of the dish, I figured out that this could be a simple dinner for those busy nights when I just don't feel like working too hard in the kitchen. After a little bit of tweaking the second time I made this dish, I absolutely fell in love with the final result. This recipe is E-A-S-Y! This recipe yields 2 servings. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 can black beans, drained

1 can diced tomatoes with zesty jalapeno, drained

1 can diced green chiles

1 can enchilada sauce

1 teaspoon + 1/2 teaspoon + 1/2 teaspoon Adobo All-Purpose Seasoning, divided

4 eggs

4 tablespoons Pace Mexican Four Cheese Salsa con Queso

2 flour tortillas

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

pico de gallo (optional)

sour cream (optional)

hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

1) Heat black beans in a small saucepan over low heat. Partially mash beans with the back of a fork to give a refried bean consistency. Sprinkle beans with 1/2 teaspoon Adobo seasoning. Continue to heat until cooked through.

2) In a separate small saucepan, combine tomatoes, green chiles, enchilada sauce, and 1 teaspoon Adobo seasoning. Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to keep warm.

3) In a medium skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Fry eggs in vegetable oil, seasoning with remaining 1/2 teaspoon of Adobo until yolk is cooked through.

4) Warm queso in microwave for 30 seconds. Warm tortillas in microwave for 20 seconds.

5) Place one tortilla on each plate. Spread 2 tablespoons of queso on top of each tortilla. Divide black beans and spread on top of queso.

6) Remove eggs from heat and place two eggs on top of black beans on each tortilla. Spoon enchilada sauce on top of eggs. Serve with pico de gallo, hot sauce, and sour cream.

Favorite Recipe: Seared Scallops Over Creamy Succotash

O f course, whenever we start a new season of Top Chef, I am inspired to get creative in the kitchen. We had some really excellent sea scallops a few weeks ago that we purchased at "The Pig," so I have been craving them ever since. These days, I am aiming for recipes that I can only describe as "easy gourmet." I want it to look like I spent hours in the kitchen, but with as little time spent cooking as possible. The total time spent on this meal was about 15 minutes. This creation was absolutely delish! The Husby said it goes in the recipe hall of fame with a spot in his top three. This is a perfect meal for a special occasion or when you want to show everyone a glimpse of your inner Paula Deen. Recipe yields 2 servings. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

14 sea scallops

1 tablespoon + 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, diced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 can triple succotash, drained

1 bag baby spinach

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon Tony Chachere's seasoning

salt

black pepper

1 lemon, cut into wedges (optional)

Directions:

1) Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute 4 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes.

2) Add triple succotash and Tony Chachere's seasoning to onion mixture. Simmer over medium-low heat for 6 minutes. Add cream to mixture and return to a simmer over low heat.

3) Once succotash begins to simmer, mix in spinach a few handfuls at a time. Continue to cook, stirring occassionally, until spinach softens.

4) Rinse scallops and pat dry with a paper towel. Lightly salt and pepper scallops on both sides.

5) In a separate skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. As soon as butter begins to brown in olive oil, add scallops to pan. Sear scallops for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until a caramelized brown crust forms. Immediately remove scallops from pan when finished cooking.

6) Put a few spoonfuls of succotash on plate and top with scallops. Squeeze a wedge of fresh lemon juice over top of scallops.

Personality Type

We have been talking a lot about personality types in my mental health clinical, and I was interested to see exactly what my type is since I haven't taken this test in almost 12 years...and of course, I couldn't remember the exact results. I decided to take the Myers-Briggs test this morning and found out that I am an "ISFJ." I found it very interesting that The Husby is an "ISFJ" as well...not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing to have two of us under the same roof. I will do some more research and post an update on that. Of course, I had to laugh when I read that these are the "If you want it done right, do it yourself" people that aren't very good at delegating...oh, how true that is. You can take an abbreviated version of the test on the Human Metrics site. Here is a description of the "ISFJ" type reprinted from TypeLogic:

ISFJ- Introverted Sensing Feeling Judging

ISFJs are characterized above all by their desire to serve others, their "need to be needed." In extreme cases, this need is so strong that standard give-and-take relationships are deeply unsatisfying to them; however, most ISFJs find more than enough with which to occupy themselves within the framework of a normal life. (Since ISFJs, like all SJs, are very much bound by the prevailing social conventions, their form of "service" is likely to exclude any elements of moral or political controversy; they specialize in the local, the personal, and the practical.)

ISFJs are often unappreciated, at work, home, and play. Ironically, because they prove over and over that they can be relied on for their loyalty and unstinting, high-quality work, those around them often take them for granted--even take advantage of them. Admittedly, the problem is sometimes aggravated by the ISFJs themselves; for instance, they are notoriously bad at delegating ("If you want it done right, do it yourself"). And although they're hurt by being treated like doormats, they are often unwilling to toot their own horns about their accomplishments because they feel that although they deserve more credit than they're getting, it's somehow wrong to want any sort of reward for doing work (which is supposed to be a virtue in itself). (And as low-profile Is, their actions don't call attention to themselves as with charismatic Es.) Because of all of this, ISFJs are often overworked, and as a result may suffer from psychosomatic illnesses.

In the workplace, ISFJs are methodical and accurate workers, often with very good memories and unexpected analytic abilities; they are also good with people in small-group or one-on-one situations because of their patient and genuinely sympathetic approach to dealing with others. ISFJs make pleasant and reliable co-workers and exemplary employees, but tend to be harried and uncomfortable in supervisory roles. They are capable of forming strong loyalties, but these are personal rather than institutional loyalties; if someone they've bonded with in this way leaves the company, the ISFJ will leave with them, if given the option. Traditional careers for an ISFJ include: teaching, social work, most religious work, nursing, medicine (general practice only), clerical and and secretarial work of any kind, and some kinds of administrative careers.

While their work ethic is high on the ISFJ priority list, their families are the centers of their lives. ISFJs are extremely warm and demonstrative within the family circle--and often possessive of their loved ones, as well. When these include Es who want to socialize with the rest of the world, or self-contained ITs, the ISFJ must learn to adjust to these behaviors and not interpret them as rejection. Being SJs, they place a strong emphasis on conventional behavior (although, unlike STJs, they are usually as concerned with being "nice" as with strict propriety); if any of their nearest and dearest depart from the straight-and-narrow, it causes the ISFJ major embarrassment: the closer the relationship and the more public the act, the more intense the embarrassment (a fact which many of their teenage children take gleeful advantage of). Over time, however, ISFJs usually mellow, and learn to regard the culprits as harmless eccentrics :-). Needless to say, ISFJs take infinite trouble over meals, gifts, celebrations, etc., for their loved ones--although strong Js may tend to focus more on what the recipient should want rather than what they do want.

Like most Is, ISFJs have a few, close friends. They are extremely loyal to these, and are ready to provide emotional and practical support at a moment's notice. (However, like most Fs they hate confrontation; if you get into a fight, don't expect them to jump in after you. You can count on them, however, run and get the nearest authority figure.) Unlike with EPs, the older the friendship is, the more an ISFJ will value it. One ISFJ trait that is easily misunderstood by those who haven't known them long is that they are often unable to either hide or articulate any distress they may be feeling. For instance, an ISFJ child may be reproved for "sulking," the actual cause of which is a combination of physical illness plus misguided "good manners." An adult ISFJ may drive a (later ashamed) friend or SO into a fit of temper over the ISFJ's unexplained moodiness, only afterwards to explain about a death in the family they "didn't want to burden anyone with." Those close to ISFJs should learn to watch for the warning signs in these situations and take the initiative themselves to uncover the problem.